Asked by: Stanislawa Hakhulin
hobbies and interests woodworking

Can you polyurethane over prefinished hardwood flooring?

Last Updated: 20th February, 2020

40
In general, you shouldn't apply polyurethane over a floor that has already been stained and sealed with other products. If the manufacturer indicates that the floor has been treated with polyurethane but you want to apply additional coats for added protection, you may do so after the floor has been installed.

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Regarding this, can you put polyurethane on finished hardwood floors?

A: Yes, a polyurethane-finished hardwood can be recoated if you take the proper steps to prep the finish. First, lightly sand with No. 2 steel wool or a dull 120- to 150-grit abrasive screen using a heavy floor buffer.

Beside above, what are prefinished hardwood floors finished with? Prefinished flooring is factory-finished, and thus each board has been finished individually with sprayed-on coats of polyurethane. The boards are then oven baked with aluminum oxide to create an extremely hard acrylic finish.

Herein, can prefinished hardwood flooring be refinished?

Refinishing requires heavy sanding: While prefinished floors do not need to be refinished for a very long time, eventually the surface seal will start to fade, scratch, and discolor slightly. This cuts down on the thickness of the floor planks and limits how many times you can then refinish the floor in the future.

What happens if you don't sand between coats of polyurethane?

A: Nothing, provided you apply each coat of finish within a reasonable amount of time. If you get dust nibs or brush marks in the finish, sanding will smooth them, and your next coat will look better if you work on a smooth surface.

Related Question Answers

Mariuta Minniakhmetov

Professional

How many coats of polyurethane should be put on hardwood floors?

We recommend at least 2 coats of oil based polyurethane + a lacquer sealer coat as a minimum for hardwood flooring. Extra coats = extra protection, but only one coat of oil based polyurethane may be applied per day, as it needs 24 hours to dry before applying another coat.

Ibor Lokhmatikov

Professional

Can you use a roller to apply polyurethane?

Yes, you can use a paint roller to apply polyurethane. Polyurethane is easily applied with a paint brush or roller and dries quickly. Applying the material with a roller eliminates brush strokes and lines and prevents over-applying the material.

Lakia Eyre

Explainer

What is the hardest polyurethane finish?

Moisture-cured urethane is considered one of the hardest finishes available, but also has one of the highest VOC's. Because it dries so fast, it's difficult to apply, so it's not recommended for DIY'ers.

Olivier Borrego

Explainer

Should you seal prefinished hardwood floors?

Although engineered hardwood often comes pre-finished, it is still a good idea to seal it. Sealing adds an extra layer of protection to your flooring, and can also help it last longer.

Arlean Yñurrieta

Explainer

When can you walk on polyurethane wood floors?

Fresh polyurethane can be walked on as soon as all signs of wet finish disappear. You may be able to walk on the floor as soon as two hours after applying WBP and eight hours after applying WBP. You should wait two days before moving furniture onto a floor finished with WBP -- four days for OBP.

Aymar Eifer

Pundit

What is the most popular finish for hardwood floors?

Matte and satin finishes are the most popular sheens. It's all about low luster. Semi gloss and glossy finishes are very dated, and very difficult to maintain, as they show every speck of dust, scratch and dent.

Maryam Laverentz

Pundit

How do you recoat polyurethane floors?

  1. 1) Thoroughly clean a small section of flooring using a wood floor cleaner.
  2. 2) With fine (120-grit) sandpaper, lightly sand the area, working in line with the wood grain.
  3. 3) Apply polyurethane floor finish to the patch test area and wait 24 hours.
  4. 4) Check the finish.

Sufyan Ebbers

Pundit

Can you use Bona on prefinished hardwood floors?

Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is specifically designed for unwaxed polyurethane finished or prefinished floors. Our hardwood floor spray mop is packaged with a hardwood floor cleaner cartridge; however, we do sell a stone, tile and laminate cleaner cartridge for the mop as well.

Sekouba Agranat

Pundit

What does prefinished hardwood flooring mean?

“Prefinished hardwood” means that the hardwood has been finished in the factory and then you just install it. “Unfinished” means you have raw hardwood that needs to be nailed into the floor and then sanded & refinished on-site.

Tyrell Sahuquillo

Teacher

How long do prefinished hardwood floors last?

While site-finished floors last 3-5 years (6-maximum) before needing to be refinished, most prefinished floors can last for decades.

Alexe Ablesimoff

Teacher

Are prefinished hardwood floors better?

Prefinished floors come at a lower cost.
Prefinished solid wood floors initially cost more than unfinished wood flooring—about $2 per square foot for a good grade of red oak. But once you factor in finishing costs, prefinished ends up being less expensive.

Houcein Nico

Teacher

How do you replace prefinished hardwood flooring?

How to Replace Damaged Areas of Hardwood Flooring
  1. Use a carpenter's square to mark a perpendicular line across the section of the board to be removed.
  2. Use a 1/2- or 3/8-inch-diameter spade bit and power drill to drill holes along the marks.
  3. Use a wood chisel to split the damaged board into two pieces.
  4. Pry out the damaged board.

Xiuping Rioseco

Teacher

Can you change the color of prefinished hardwood floors?

The answer is usually YES!
Many homeowners don't realize that you can change the color of hardwood flooring when you refinish your floors. Yes, it's true…you can go light or dark or red tones or anywhere in between.

Hung Riethmann

Reviewer

How much does it cost to install prefinished hardwood floors?

The cost per square foot for prefinished hardwood flooring ranges from $2 to $12 or more.

Daniil Carcaboso

Reviewer

How long do polyurethane fumes last?

The floor should be mostly cured (enough to live on) in the first 5-7 days, but it can take up to a month for the odors to be completely gone, and for the finish to reach its maximum hardness.

Ihsan Euzenat

Reviewer

How do I protect my hardwood floors in the kitchen?

If you discover a leak, shut off the water to the kitchen and call a plumber. Use rugs and floor mats liberally to protect the wood flooring in high traffic areas. Rugs will also absorb small spills before they can reach the flooring.

Belisaria Ehrenberg

Reviewer

Can hardwood floors be waterproofed?

Are Hardwood Floors Waterproof? No, they will incur damage if a pipe bursts or if the home is flooded. Most floors will stand up just fine to spills or water tracked in from outside as long as the water is dried up quickly. Hardwood floors give homeowners a number of advantages over other flooring.

Dayron Havenga

Supporter

Is it cheaper to refinish or replace hardwood floors?

In general, it will almost ALWAYS be less expensive to refinish your hardwood floors. If you replace them, you need to pay for additional wood as well as ripping up and hauling away existing hardwood. Even if you have this, it will still be less expensive then replacing the whole floor.

Lesli Muhlsteffen

Supporter

How many times can you sand hardwood floors?

Hardwood flooring can be re-sanded up to 10 times, depending on how bad the floor is and how skilled the person doing the sanding is.

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EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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20th February, 2020

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